South Carolina Upstate Mycological Society

South Carolina Upstate Mycological Society

About Us

Welcome to the website of the South Carolina Upstate Mycological Society (SCUMS), the mushroom club of South Carolina’s ‘Upstate’ region.

The goals of the South Carolina Upstate Mycological Society are to bring people together who share a common interest in mushrooms and other fungi, and to facilitate an appreciation and understanding of fungi. SCUMS unofficially formed in the fall of 2007. The founders are Dr. Julia Kerrigan, a professor of mycology at Clemson University, and mycologist Tradd Cotter, a mushroom farmer who owns a local business, Mushroom Mountain, in Liberty, SC.

Because of the drought, SCUMS didn’t actually hold its first meeting until May 6, 2008, when rainfall was substantial enough to (finally!) warrant an official foray.

We are affiliated with the North American Mycological Association (http://www.namyco.org). For those not from this area, the ‘Upstate’, or ‘Upcountry’, is a region in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina that begins at the border of South Carolina and Georgia and goes East to the Catawba River basin. Frequent rains, diverse ecological niches, and mild winter temperatures contribute to a wealth of fungal diversity and abundance.

Monthly Meeting: SCUMS meets first Monday of the month. Meetings start at 6:30 pm or come anytime after 6:00 pm for socializing, specimen show and tell.